Month: July 2016

Tested this today and it takes appr. 1h to bike from home (Interlaken) to Lauterbrunnen. The village and the valley is THE base jumping location, therefore also known as Death Valley. But base jumping aside, the valley and villages around and above offer amazing (and dramatic) background for many other activities too.

Play it tourist: see the 72 waterfalls and take the cablecar up to Schilthorn.

Play it biker: bike (or take the train / cablecar) up to Wengen. Winteregg, Mürren or my favorite (that little cute alpine hippie village) Gimmelwald. Choose your path and try to keep your eye on the road and not on the marvelous mountaintops, glaciers, gliffs, goats, chalets (mission impossible for me and therefore I take lots of breaks while up).

Play it hiker: hike (or take the train / cablecar) up to Wenger, Winteregg, Mürren, Gimmelwald… Hike a hour, two or whole day, find a hütte or hotel and take a beer.

Play it cool: bike the main road in Lauterbrunnen, past all the cafés and try to look as pro as possible.

Today I played the biker; took my bike up to Lauterbrunnen, then Winteregg and past carless Mürren and Gimmelwald back down to Lauterbrunnen and home. It was hot, it was tough, but it was all worth it.

Now I dream of 5-star hotel sheets and fondue dinner (yes, still no holiday in sight before September) but seems like I have to be happy with homemade pasta and H&M sheets. Which of course is more than fine too.

The light has changed. The sharp, bright light of the midsummer is slowly turning into softer hazier tone of August. During the rainy days it has even reminded of the winter light. And the sunsets… They are getting better and better every day.

Time here goes so fast. I’ve been almost two months here but still haven’t gotten myself a swiss number, new phone, health insurance nor better apartment. Thinks I’d really want and need, but things I haven’t had time to think, not to mention get, yet. I’ve been working and living and holidaying near. Last weekend we went to Thun. The weekend before to the mountains. And when it get’s too hot we go to the lakes. Lunch “hour”, after work, after hike, after run, before work. And I love it. Crystal clear water and paragliders above. No matter how aching your feet are after all the hiking and dancing; in the lake they forgot everything else than how happy they are. And your mind forgets all the think you should be doing, like getting that damn data package.

This summer hasn’t been easy. So many tragedies, so much rain, so little time. I’ve been struggling, trying to keep up with the phase. Luckily survived though, somehow, with the help of the few extremely warm and sunny days, people, and this environment.

I do live in a fairytale, one of the few places on Earth which could be called paradises even. Lavenders are blossoming and apricots are ready to be picked up. You can hear the grasshoppers, alphorns, birds and laughing people. You can see animals, wild and domestic ones, happy looking, concentrating on eating, sleeping and not giving too much a damn.

And you may take a little Sunday walk in your extended backyard, and find the place of your dreams. The place which has all the things needed for the perfect party. For celebration, for those endless summer nights. And for a moment you may believe that everything is possible.

You start dreaming and making plans again. And that if something isn’t easy these times…